The Answer

There is no requirement that any part of the process must be done by a radio engineer. Be suspicious of any engineer that tells you that you are legally required to use professional services- it is generally not true. There are a few types of studies, such as a RF safety study, or a showing when responding to certain types of interference complaints, where you might have to hire a professional engineer. You might need an engineers report if you want special exceptions made to some rules. But generally speaking, for ordinary operations there are no legal requirements for certification.

There are instances when an experienced engineer can save you a lot of time and effort. It is part of their job to keep up on the latest technologies and all the rules. For every hour that they bill you for, they spend two in the office keeping current on their profession.

But we advise the judicious use of these expert services. You don't need a brain surgeon to pull a splinter out of your toe. 90% of the work of setting up a low power station can be done by amateurs. The lowest rate i've heard is $65 an hour. I haven't heard a lot higher than that, but I only move in certain circles. If you have a good ham radio operator around, I bet you could get them to do 90% of the work of a radio engineer for fun. We don't have a radio engineer on staff, but Pete tri can answer about 75% of the basic questions you have.

Prometheus is applying for funding to have an engineer that works for us and consults for free for all low power stations, and maybe goes out and does some installations. I don't think you really need someone on retainer unless a qualified engineer does not emerge. Go to your local Ham radio Club. Many Ham-Radio people are crypto-militia wingnuts, but most at least have a strong libertarian streak ... and if they can go around spending your money on getting good deals for towers and whatnot, they will put them up for a case of beer. And go to "Hamfests." These are flea markets that just have radio and electronic and computer equipment. It typically costs five dollars to get in, but you will find many of the things you need for pennies on the dollar you would spend for inferior equipment at radio shack. And If you talk up the people you meet there, you may just have found the expert you need.

You can also look for community radio people in your region. Most of them will happily give you a tour and their chief engineers will often happily gab with you for hours on the phone to give their impressions and opinions.

There are a lot of people out there with radio knowledge. If you have a benefit, or a public event with bands or something, you will definitely find people who know how to make the whole audio section work.

Try to get a newspaper article written about your effort.A good newspaper article will generally get you three calls from technically inclined people offering to help for free. Don't forget your local radio pirates. Pirates created the movement that culminated in low power FM, and you can't get in to trouble for associating with them. You can have them involved with the station, and on your station- they just can not be on the board of directors. A lot of pirates have set up operations that that may be even more sophisticated then the one you are going to build- ,it is worth calling them and asking if they will hope. Most of the technical whizzes behind the pirate radio movement are painting houses or wiring receptacles or programming computers for a living- tap into this enormous resource for your low power station.